Team of Responders Brings Back Shopper at West Towne Mall

Amidst the flurry of Christmas shoppers at West Towne Mall today, a 70-year-old woman is alive after a cardiac arrest with the help of Madison police and paramedics.

The rescue began when police officers at the mall for a theft complaint responded to a report of shopper in distress. They immediately began Cardio-Cerebral Resuscitation (CCR), also known as compression-only CPR or Call and Pump.

MFD Medic 2 was dispatched to the mall at 11:39 a.m. When they arrived, police were delivering high-quality compressions to the patient. The two teams of first responders coordinated their efforts until medics were able to administer a shock with a defibrillator.

One shock was all it took, and by the time paramedics were ready to transport the patient to UW Hospital, she was alert and oriented for the trip.

Division Chief Ron Schwenn says the rescue was a textbook save that incorporated the teamwork of a well-trained responders who followed protocol and kept the patient viable until medics could arrive.